The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-07-14
THE DEMoORAr1C PoL1oY
What One UncOmpromising Ohio Demo
orat Says Il Should BE,

What One UncOmpromising Ohio Demo.
orab Says It Should BE.
Editor Plain Dealer-Permit me
through the columns Of the Plain Dealer
20 express some views which / trust
will tind an echo from Democrats In all
parts OF the State. The near approach
II our State convention raises the Ques.
lion of what We will do In the way Of
platform and candidates. The last mat
ier is Of course easily settled so far as
,he office Of Governor is concerned, and
here will be no trouble In selecting
strictly first class men for the other
places of honor. Perhaps there ought
10 be even less trouble In making plat
form. for Democratic principles are (oT
should be) we'll defined In the mind OF
every man who calls himself Demo
era but, unfortunately, we know that
more than once In the past, principles
have crept Into our Ohio platforms as
nnlk4 those we recognize as Demo.
cratic as pumpkin is like an egg. 0 II
platforms as rule seem to be made to
please everybody and to offend none,
and they are, therefore, rarely satisfao-
tory to anybody. We have had for years
verbose, eQuivocal, uncertain planks on
Important doctrines, and the balance
padded In with rot and twaddle. Such
platforms have handicapped US and
have invited contempt inside the party
and brought us defeat at the polls. Oul
platform should be short and very clear
II should cover all vital points and lei
non-imp0rtant matters alone. There
should DO no effort to dodge, on the con
tFary we should seek to make such fat
footed declarations that every voter in
the State will know just what we
mean.
Ii we do not know what we do believe
about such vital matters as tariff taxa
ti0n and civil service reform, for In
stance, we should postpone the c0nven'
tlon until we learn, and II we do know
and are afraid to express our opinions
we SHOULD give up holding q convention
altogether.
It requires no particular skill tC
frame q platform so short that all will
read IL, 80 plain that all can understand
It and so strong and true that every
Democrat worthy Of the name will vote
.0r the men nominated upon It; while
It's general features and merits will
bring to our support thousands Of voters
who usually vote the Republican ticket
I say 1t is an easy matter to draw uT
such @ platform and, therefore, l have
no hesitation In saying what 1t should
be. w
Resolution 1 should lndoEse the able
honest and patriotic administration Of
the President. 81 .srl~ls ess q 9gf aaH
Resolution 2 should demand reduc
ton OF tariff taxes and call for a com
plete removal Of all taxes on lumber
salt and medicines, and q large rednC
ti0n upon every other article OF tmp0Fi
except luxuries, TO the end that manu-
fncturera may thrive, foreign markets
be secured, more employment be afford
ed and greater net results from theil
labor DO realized by the working ant
consuming classes, thusrec0gniEipg thl
rights OF the many Instead OF fostering
the privileges Of the few. MA ~ /.
Resolution 3 should express the unal
terable opposition Of the Democrats o
Ohio to any reduction whatever In tn
| taxation II tob acc0 and liquors. Of an.
description until after all tariff take
are removed from every article In com
mon and general use by the people, De
lievlng that no article made at home o
imported from abroad is so legitimate
subject for taxation as stobacco and NAL
and spurious liquors.
Resolution 4 should declare the con
tlnued belief Of the party In the neces
city for civil service system which will
make continuance In Office depend sole
ly upon efficiency and faithfulness. N
step backward In this great reform
should be permitted.
Resolution should promise the pee
| Dle Of Ohio IL our ticket ~ BuccessfD
this fall an honest, dignitled, vlgorcu
administration OF State affairs, pledge
to The utmost economy and declnr
! - a. haIln.tIr. cr In n indininua lirnna